Searching for the perfect bottle of wine to go under the tree this year? Looking for the ideal wine lover’s experience? Here’s Dan’s gift guide for Christmas…
White wine lover: One of the most interesting white wines I’ve had this year is the Bamboes Bay sauvignon blanc from Fryer’s Cove – sauvignon blanc for people who don’t like sauvignon blanc. The West Coast winery miles from anywhere sits right on the wild Atlantic coast, which inspires a fresh blast of ocean intensity in a wine that’s a unique celebration of one of South Africa’s most distinct vineyards.
Bubbles obsessive: The godfather of South African bubbles is Pieter Ferreira, who’s driven the global success of Graham Beck. The Cuvée Clive headlines a broad range of outstanding Cap Classique, but for something more unique, an extremely rare 100 percent South African meunier. Blending Robertson and Elgin fruit, think soft peach and gentle red apple with an easy creaminess that makes for a striking wine even by Pieter’s high standards.
Classic red fan: No red wine is more iconic than cabernet sauvignon, and nowhere does it finer than Stellenbosch. Amongst the blur of fine options, try the Skyfall from Bartinney. Named after the estate’s dizzying mountain bike trail descent, rather than the Bond movie, it’s a limited release showcase of the Banhoek Valley that combines purity, elegance and quiet majesty. Ready to drink on release, or keep for a couple of decades.
Wine snob: Andrea and Chris Mullineux are winemaking aristocracy, and two of the original champions of Swartland’s global ascent. But their second home in the Franschhoek valley has given them an equally successful wine story: Leeu Passant, and a small but powerful range that doesn’t seem to stop winning awards. For the wine snob in your life, go for the Leeu Passant chardonnay, as a grape that’s scaling new heights in South Africa finds the natural touch of one of the one world’s great winemaking couples.
Wine geek: Pet nat, skin contact, natural wine – if you need to Google those terms, then these probably aren’t for you. But for the vegan wine friend who wears hemp sandals and doesn’t miss Afrika Burn, this is the sort of wine you’re looking for. Samantha Suddons is a star producer here with her Vine Venom range: low intervention, use of flor, everything kept as natural as possible. Try Samantha’s Shining, a rosé with smoke swirling through a barrage of fruit for a wine that can handle a spicy meal – and a full moon with Mercury in retrograde.
Loves wine and dogs: From Beyers Truter’s Diesel pinotage to Mulderbosch’s Faithful Hound blend, dogs and wine have a strong connection. But this Christmas, go the Black Dog malbec from Paul Wallace, a lasting tribute to the canine shadows who’ve served as Paul’s lieutenants over the years on his Elgin property. Added bonus? This dark fruited delight is the 2025 Platter Malbec of the Year – and the first ever South African malbec to get a full five stars.
Old school: Sherry – that quaintly old-fashioned evening tipple your grandmother shares with her cardiganed bridge school… until now. Swartland aristocrat Adi Badenhorst has turned his deep love of sherry into one of the coolest additions to the South African wine scene this year – a small range of sherry that is showcased at his Saldanha Wine and Spirit Co., where oysters join a charming seaside bar where sherry is enjoying a welcome resurgence. Your grandmother will love it, certainly – but Adi has a new generation of wine drinkers falling in love with sherry as well.
Impress the boss: Strike the balance here: big enough to impress, but not so extravagant as to suggest you’re being paid too much. Enter Mike Ratcliffe’s Seriously Old Dirt magnum – the cool factor of the Vilafonté family, the heft and presence of a magnum, and the solid quality of a red wine that has a well-established fan base around the world. Looks good, tastes better, and doesn’t cost a fortune? That would be the sound of a promotion loading.
Great wine, great cause: Klein Constantia’s Matt Day is revered as a sauvignon blanc savant; turns out he makes some decent red. Anwilka, the Stellenbosch property Matt also oversees, produced the grapes for the maiden edition of The Nedbank Alchemy, a platform to celebrate wine and its endless lifestyle connections. Two barrels of exceptional 2023 cabernet sauvignon made for just 600 bottles, with the proceeds all going to upliftment platforms like the Pinotage Youth Development Academy – and for a wine Matt believes is the best red he’s ever made, The Nedbank Alchemy won’t be around for long.
Nice – on a budget: Martin Lamprecht is an accomplished young winemaker, but probably best known for the star turn he brought to the third season of My Kitchen Rules. He delighted fans on M-Net’s cooking reality show with his warm, playful personality, and that character shines through in his Marras wines, that are almost suspiciously well priced. The Swartland starlet has a red blend that’s well worth seeking out: shiraz headlines, cinsault and grenache support, and your palate and wallet will be smiling in equal measure.
Money’s no object: Finding an extremely expensive bottle of wine isn’t overly challenging; finding one that delivers on the price tag takes a little more work. Cue the top of the Banhoek Valley, and two big hitters produced by excellent winemakers from standout terroir. The Telos from Tokara, crafted by Stuart Botha, and Morné Vrey’s Delaire Graff Sir Laurence Graff Reserve both sit around R4 000 a bottle; limited edition Bordeaux-style blends that combine elegance with intensity, for Stellenbosch excellence that will live long in the wine memory.
Dan Nicholl is the founder and host of Dan Really Likes Wine, South Africa’s leading digital wine vodcast. Dan holds a WSET Level Three (Merit) wine qualification and has graduated from the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy with distinction.